Jericho: Victory for Fans of Cancelled CBS Drama

by Trevor Kimball, June 6, 2007

CBS President of Entertainment Nina Tassler has officially ordered a seven episode second season of cancelled drama Jericho. The episodes will air midseason and the return is being credited solely to the fan campaign. But, as Tassler notes in the official statement, the battle isn’t over.

To the Fans of Jericho:

Wow!

Over the past few weeks you have put forth an impressive and probably unprecedented display of passion in support of a prime time television series. You got our attention; your emails and collective voice have been heard.

As a result, CBS has ordered seven episodes of Jericho for mid-season next year. In success, there is the potential for more. But, for there to be more Jericho, we will need more viewers.

A loyal and passionate community has clearly formed around the show. But that community needs to grow. It needs to grow on the CBS Television Network, as well as on the many digital platforms where we make the show available.

We will count on you to rally around the show, to recruit new viewers with the same grass-roots energy, intensity and volume you have displayed in recent weeks.

At this time, I cannot tell you the specific date or time period that Jericho will return to our schedule. However, in the interim, we are working on several initiatives to help introduce the show to new audiences. This includes re-broadcasting Jericho on CBS this summer, streaming episodes and clips from these episodes across the CBS Audience Network (online), releasing the first season DVD on September 25 and continuing the story of Jericho in the digital world until the new episodes return. We will let you know specifics when we have them so you can pass them on.

On behalf of everyone at CBS, thank you for expressing your support of Jericho in such an extraordinary manner. Your protest was creative, sustained and very thoughtful and respectful in tone. You made a difference.

Sincerely,
Nina Tassler
President, CBS Entertainment

P.S. Please stop sending us nuts 🙂

It seems that CBS is planning to do their part to keep Jericho going but clearly puts the responsibility of the show’s future on the fans — to watch the series and to get others to do the same. With all of the publicity surrounding the nuts campaign, I’m sure many viewers will be willing to check out the series this summer and on DVD.

In a statement, series star Skeet Ulrich said, “I’m so thankful to our fans for not only their passionate support but their tireless efforts to revive our show. The whole cast and I are thrilled to have the opportunity to be together again and I look forward to the chance to give back to the fans with more of the story that brought us here.”

So score a big one to the fans of Jericho for pulling their series out of the ashes. And kudos to CBS for listening. It looks like it could turn into a genuine win-win situation.

It certainly worked out well for nuts distributors. Over 40,000 lbs of nuts have been sent to CBS. The network in turn donated them to charities including the Staten Island Project Homefront, which distributes supplies to the Armed Forces and City Harvest in New York City. Stay tuned!

Love the show. Had to watch it all on DvD’s from rental place. Acting is good. There are few things that could make it a a bit more like people trying to conserve to survive, but good watching.
Thanks,
Steve

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January 22, 2008 12:24 pm

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Marianne

I am looking forward to jericho returning. I am a new fan. I found the DVD’s in a movie rental store. I have only the last disc left. I will finish the whole 1st season tomorrow!! I will go through withdrawl. I cannot wait until it starts again!! I may be a new fan, but I am a faithful fan !!

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November 16, 2007 11:56 pm

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laurie gillies

i miss jericho. i am glad it’s coming back, i found the show so real to our crazy world and how the one town stands by each other through thick and thin. awsome show !!! can’t wait to start watching jericho again, thanks

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November 7, 2007 4:56 pm

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Suzanne

I have been waiting for Jerico to return. It is a great show unlilke those awful reality shows.

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October 3, 2007 9:32 am

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Nikki

I have been dying all summer long waiting for Jericho to return. Now i find out that it was orginally cancelled!! I cant believe it. I am so exited knowing that it is coming on again, I can’t wait. Jericho is the most exiting show on TV. Thank you CBS for bringing them back to us!!

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September 1, 2007 8:24 pm

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GPartlow

I am very glad you are continuing the saga. There was so much left unsaid.
Thank you CBS

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August 6, 2007 9:57 am

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Judy

I heard Jericho was being canned, (shattered!)so had to look it up for myself. Now my friends and I are over the moon to hear a second season (albeit small) is being planned!!! We live in beautiful, quiet New Zealand, and look forward to our Sunday night hour of complex, high action thrills with Jericho! This show is so completely different from anything else we have seen – keep it going!! PLEASE!

I have to say that I didn’t personally start watching Jericho until almost the last episode (when Hawkins breaks them out) but I have spent hours upon hours catching up from the very beginning by watching the entire episodes from beginning to end on CBS.com. All I can say is “WOW”!!! I am so impressed with the show and the cast!!! In this day and age it is not unlikely to ponder this sort of situation happening. We all pray that it would not ever come to this but after 9/11…enough said… I will be one of the faithful fans… Read more »

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June 29, 2007 2:16 pm

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Jo Ann Weems

If anything kills Jericho, it will be the mid-season time slot.

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June 21, 2007 6:17 pm

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KRow

First time posting to anything in my life. I am so sick of watching programs and becoming thoroughly entrenched with them, then after one season…they’re gone. Just about every show that I enjoyed watching was cancelled in the last year and I’m absolutely sick of it. My husband and I made it a sort of weekday date night which involved watching this show. What’s the point of watching anything nowadays when the Network Execs with their power suits, Grande Lattes, and MBA’s cancel what the viewing public enjoys as a way to escape from the harsh realities of day to… Read more »

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June 20, 2007 6:51 pm

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MSHEARD

I just want to add my kudos to NBC for keeping Jericho. It was the best new show out for the seasons that it was on tv. I was very dissappointed at the thought that it may not be back on and then I heard that it would indeed be back, thanks to the devoted fans that started the sending of the nuts to NBC. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you.

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June 19, 2007 5:11 am

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adelemarie

I am also relieved to hear that JERICHO may??? be renewed. It’s the “may” that has me worried. My whole family is tired of reality shows & awful sitcoms. This was a great show – based on a premise that is all too possible. We are patiently awaiting it’s return.

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June 14, 2007 8:25 pm

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Ragnar

writing from Iceland, I am so happy the shows will continue !!! 😀 good stuff CBS, keep it up

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June 12, 2007 7:03 pm

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Mike Covington

I am highly enthused & relieved to know that JERICHO may be renewed. I am tired of the so called Reality Shows & Sitcoms. JERICHO is an excellent show which itself is based on a very possible reality scenario. I WILL WATCH IT Faithfully!!! I will Encourage Everyone I know to watch it as well. JERICHO is a quality show that is entertaining, informative & Deserves a Long & Successful season for YEARs to come!